


Feast of Spring

by Hekmugi



Category: Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart (Cartoon)
Genre: Anniversary, Easter, Flower Crowns, Fluff, Kissing, Light Angst, M/M, Photography, Spring
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-04-12
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:48:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 14,878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23423449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hekmugi/pseuds/Hekmugi
Summary: A loosely-connected string of 12 prompts, each having something to do with Spring/Easter. My spin on the "Mao Mao Easter 2020" event. Follow on Tumblr/Twitter via #maomaoseaster2020Note: Some prompts contain ships/references to ships.
Relationships: Badgerclops/Mao Mao Mao, Reggie/Rufus (Mao Mao)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 43





	1. Day 1: Rainfall

**Author's Note:**

> The first real day of spring. What a fun time.

Despite the rain, the windows were open. The scent of rainfall - the first good rain of a fresh season, was always worth the potential of the window sill getting a little wet. A chill breeze swept through the window screen, pushing past the droplets that accumulated against the wire mesh and streaking down the side. The wind was a bit cold, sure, but Mao Mao hadn’t quite lost his winter coat yet. Neither of them had.

It wasn’t a particularly active day for the Sheriff’s Department or anyone else, apparently. The alarm was silent. The streets were undoubtedly empty. The creatures of the forest were just coming out of hibernation, and the world was only just beginning to come back to life after a long, bitter winter. The trees’ leaves had not yet achieved that viridescent, waxy shine. The grass was still a dull green, as if it were still asleep. To call it a ‘springing’ back to life would be a bit of a misnomer. If winter were a dream, then this rain was an early wake-up; a groggy, reluctant awakening.

Badgerclops enjoyed this kind of weather. The sun was too bright, and the heat felt uncomfortably hot against his fur. Getting sweaty was never fun, which is why his favorite season was winter. Snow was an inconvenience, though. Rain was more relaxing. When it falls, it patters against the roof. It splits across glass. The trees sway softly in the absence of strong wind, and shimmering puddles form in dips along the cobblestone streets. It’s the kind of weather that makes someone want to stay inside, which was always Badgerclops’s prefered activity.

Well, his second-favorite.

Their hands were clasped around one another, their bodies hugging. The sheriff laid on his chest, the two of them holding a lazy embrace as they listened to the muffled sounds of rain. The television was off. The room was dim. They could nap like this - Mao Mao reclining against his partner.

“We were supposed to patrol today,” Mao Mao mumbled.

“Nothing’s going to happen,” Badgerclops insisted, “and even if something did, couldn’t it wait until tomorrow?”

“Depends.”

“Monsters?”

Mao Mao shook his head, rubbing against Badgerclops’s chest. “Too early in the season.”

“What about the Sky Pirates?”

Mao Mao looked up. “That can  _ definitely _ wait until tomorrow. They need the head start.”

Badgerclops chuckled. “Harsh.”

“Am I wrong?”

“Nah, nah.”

“Well, I guess that’s that, then.” Mao Mao yawned. “Let’s just ...take the day off...”

As Mao Mao dug his head back into Badgerclops’s chest, the deputy gave a nod.

  
“Sounds like a plan, dude. We can just chill for a bit, listen to the sound of the rain… order a pizza, maybe? You wanna split it, half cheese half anchovy like usual?”

Badgerclops shuffled on the couch a bit, looking down at the sheriff.

“Mao Mao?”

As the silence hung over them, he began to feel it. The deputy’s favorite feeling in the world. A hum against his body that he relished. The ongoing symbol of their trust. The best part of it was how involuntary it was. Mao Mao couldn’t do it on command. In fact, he tended to actively resist it. It only ever came out when he was sleeping. Rather, when they were sleeping together. That deep, full-body vibration as his chest rose and fell. That rolling, sputtering sound he made from his chest. The way his arms drew close, clasped on top of one another and tucked under his head.

  
Mao Mao was purring.

Badgerclops reached to the sheriff’s sides, taking the crimson cloth of his cape and drawing it around Mao Mao’s arms. Badgerclops tentatively kicked his legs onto the couch, stretching himself out. The arm ot the couch was comfortable enough for a midday nap alone, but with company like the sheriff? It was the most comfortable place in the house.

Nothing was going to happen. And, even if something did, it could wait until tomorrow.


	2. Day 2: Afternoon Picnic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meanwhile, on the same day, at the edge of the Kingdom...

It was the third day of their perilous journey. The air had only just begun to warm up, rising above freezing temperatures for most of the day. The nights were still long, and they still woke up with a thin sheet of frost coating their sleeping bags, but at least the snow was gone. It had all replaced by hard, dry ground, covered in dead foliage that stuck to the earth. it was firm and flat, an ideal surface to trek across when carrying a load.

But, as luck would have it, the last day would be the rainy one.

Muddied boots sloshed their way past softened earth, following ancient trails that led into the valley. Despite the hardship, they knew it would culminate in the most lucrative endeavor of the year. Strapped up in their greed, they were determined to make the journey, no matter the risk. After all, it was them who introduced the people of the valley to the holiday. Every community had a little celebration for Spring, but the isolated kingdom had long since forgotten the festivities that had developed in nearby principalities.

A sack full of streamers, pendants, and seasonal items; toys, candies, everything bright and pink under the sun. A massive burlap bag that Reggie threw across his back. The dutiful pack mule was on the verge of collapse, both of them having gone without much sleep the night before. The rain had begun before the sun came up, so they had set out to get to the valley as early as possible.

“Rufus… are we there yet?”

  
The fox tilted his boonie hat up, leaning into his walking stick as he peered past the late morning fog. He squinted his eyes as hard as he could, peering into the grey mist for the faintest hint of pink. He sought the shadow of the Ruby Pure Heart - The beacon for the kingdom that laid in the middle of the lost woods.

The rain picked up. The sky became a little darker, and a rumble of thunder came from the west. Another storm was blowing in.

Rufus sucked his teeth. “Yeah, Reg. It’s just over the next hill.”

Looking back, the fox saw his partner in crime struggle his way up the trail. Reggie barely rose above the muck, sloshing his way across the holes Rufus’s boots had made in the ground. His arms were shaking from the weight, and he looked like he was about to either cry or pass out. Probably both.

“Hold up, Reg,” Rufus said, planting his walking stick in the mud. They had reached a clearing, and the slope of the hill was more gentle than that of the path. A large, flat rock jutted out from the hillside, overlooking the forest they had just come out of.

Waving for Reggie to follow, Rufus trekked off of the path. The steep grass gave way to flatter terrain, albeit after a couple of hefty steps. Steps Reggie wasn’t in a state to make. Letting go of his cane, Rufus took Reggie in his arms and lifted him. The combined weight of his partner and their supplies made his knees buckle. He leaned back, straining every inch of his body as he hefted Reggie over. He fell backwards, Reggie and the sack in tow. The sack rolled over him, knocking the wind out of his lungs, but leaving him thankfully uninjured. Reggie tumbled past, colliding with the sack.

“Alright, Reg, we’re almost there. Let’s have a little picnic, shall we?”

Reggie didn’t move. Despite the rain that poured over both of them, he snored softly as he laid against their cargo.

Sighing, Rufus grabbed Reggie by the knot of his bandanna. In his other paw he grasped the sack, and towed them both to the flat rock. Crossing his legs, Rufus crouched under the sack and away from the rain. Reaching into his muddied coat, he fished out two granola bars. He could feel the dry bars crushed into pieces under the packaging.

“Reg,” Rufus muttered, holding one of the packages out. The raccoon stirred, his eyes fluttering open a bit.

“Oh, Rufus… I was just having a little nap.”

“I know, buddy, and I’m sorry to wake you, but you need to eat something. Keep your energy up.”

Reggie grabbed the granola bar, tearing it open and dumping some of the powdered oats into his mouth. As he ate, Rufus dug around his own personal pack, finding a bottle of water that was unopened.

  
“Here, you need some water in you,” Rufus said as he tossed it.

Reggie caught the bottle, setting it beside him. “Thanks, Rufus. I was gettin’ kinda thirsty.”

“No problem, buddy. I promise when we get into town, we’ll get a nice hotel room and unwind for a few days.”

Reggie downed the last of his food, stuffing the wrapper in his bandanna. He took a deep swig of water as he listened to his boss, visions of their upcoming relaxation bringing a tired smile to his face.

“Yeah, that sounds nice…” Reggie muttered between soft gasps. “I could really use a… day off…”

Rufus shook his head, pulling his hat under his eyes. “These trips are always getting harder and harder to make, aren’t they?”

Bringing an arm around his partner’s side, Rufus pulled Reggie close to him. They both huddled over one another, flinching at errant drops of rain that fell directly overhead. Rufus’s tail flung to the side, coiling around his partner as they pressed tighter. It was as close to comfort and warmth as they could get. And, if they were being honest with themselves, they really needed the extra time to recuperate.

Reggie shuffled a bit in his sleep, making worried mutters under his breath. Rufus shushed him softly, petting the side of his head with a paw. The fox stared past the outcropping they had secured, looking down at the miserable forest. Thoughts of the valley were already coming into his head - the food, the shelter, the sweetiepies…

The sheriff’s department.

“Don’t fret, Reg. This is going to be our biggest Spring Festival score yet.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will always have a special place in my heart for Reg & Rufus as the underdogs


	3. Day 3: Gardening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Several days later...

“Everlasting flowers! Come one, come all!”   
  
The sly fox spoke from the steps of the central fountain; his associate pushed a small cart of neatly-stacked potted plants. Their fur was well-groomed, and not a stray thread was out of place on Rufus’s freshly-dry-cleaned coat. His voice dripped with charisma, loud but friendly and with a slight musical flair. His honeyed charm, as it had been so many times before, was like a siren’s call to the gullible citizens of Pure Heart Valley. In short order, the stall was surrounded by a modest crowd of Sweetiepies.

The duo’s eyes began to shine with glee as money flowed into their pockets. This was only step one of their plans, but it was going off without a hitch. The “freshly watered” everlasting plants were, of course, fakes - nothing more than some painted plastic in a small pot. The “water” that Reggie occasionally sprayed on them was a fluorescent perfume. It was a bit strong for a flower’s scent, but these were not being marketed as ‘normal’ flowers. Nevermind that nobody would bother to confirm if they really did live forever - Rufus could convince them of that and more with his words alone.

The cart began to run dry. Dozens became a dozen. A dozen became six. Six became one. Every interested Sweetiepie found themselves in the possession of the prized flowers - dazzling poppies, tulips and roses, all standing rigidly in their pots. All that was left was a single, partially-crushed rose on top of the stall. Reggie had dropped it earlier, and they only barely managed to hide the end of the pipe-cleaner that stuck out between the stem and the fake flower head. Still, nobody wanted it, and so it sat.

“Hm…” Rufus mused, running a paw across his chin. “Just one more sap and we can go home early.”

“Looks like everyone already got one,” Reggie said, propping himself up on a stool.

Rufus nodded. “Everyone except…”

A loud, excited gasp came from among the crowd.

“ _ I WANT ONE!” _

Rufus chuckled, looking up at a familiar blue figure fluttering above the lingering Sweetiepies.

“There’s plenty of flowers growing in the wild,” a gruff voice called from within the crowd. “why don’t we just pick one of those-”

“These are different!” Adorabat chirped back.

“No they’re not!”

The crowd parted. The sheriff’s department had arrived, and Adorabat was already enamored with the hot item of the day. Try as he might, Mao Mao’s words fell on deaf ears. Badgerclops’s desire to take the path of least resistance didn’t help his case either.

“Dude,” Badgerclops said, already looking disinterested, “it’s just a little flower. What’s the harm?”

“It’s a waste, that’s what,” Mao Mao grumbled. “And what’s more is we have perfectly good plantlife at home. Flowers are easy. What Adorabat needs is her own bonsai tree!”   


Adorabat rolled her eyes. “Those little trees are gross, and they don’t smell good. Flowers are pretty, and these smell great!”

Badgerclops sniffed the air a bit. “It smells kinda like air freshener.”

“Maybe they’re just… really fresh?” Adorabat shrugged.

“Yeah, sure, whatever. Mao, let’s get her a flower.”

Mao Mao folded his arms. “No.”

“Yes!” Rufus called out, giving the group a friendly wave. They stared at one another, Rufus locking eyes with all three of them. Adorabat seemed a bit wary, and Badgerclops’s expression was unreadable.

Mao Mao was already reaching for his blade.

“ _ You. _ ” He growled, stomping towards the cart.

“Pleasure to see you’re still around, sheriff,” Rufus said through a polite, painted smile.

“I should’ve known you were behind this-”

“Behind what? Selling flowers?”

“Selling fakes!” Mao Mao thrust his blade forward, pointing it towards Rufus’s head.

Rufus’s eyes blinked between the tip of the blade - inches from his face - and the glaring sheriff. The Sweetiepies had begun to murmur to one another, watching the spectacle with caution.

“Really, you’re going to draw a weapon on me for selling some flowers?” Rufus let out a curt chuckle, tilting the blade down with an outstretched paw. “Come, now. Buy one for yourself and see that it’s the real deal! A truly everlasting flower.”

“That is  _ not _ an everlasting flower, it’s a piece of trash.”

Rufus shrugged. “It’ll last forever as long as you take care of it!”

Mao Mao drew closer, snatching the frail artificial rose from the stall. He leaned in close, sniffing at the plastic.

“It doesn’t even smell like a flower!”

Rufus motioned for Reggie to hand him the spray bottle. Reggie placed the bottle in Rufus’s hand, who then brought it down to Mao Mao. Giving the flower (and the surrounding area) several good spritzes, he drew the bottle back under the stall before the sheriff could inquire further.

Not that he was able to. The sudden assault of perfume had him coughing and drawing his cape over his face in an effort to drive the stench away. Adorabat swooped in as Mao Mao hacked into the cloth; she inspected the flower.

“Hm... I know these guys are bad but… it does look really pretty!”

“Ado- _ ack- _ rab- _ gah- _ ” Mao Mao sputtered, gasping for fresh air as he billowed his cape around him. “It’s- junk! It’s a scam, and I won’t let you fall for it!”

Badgerclops summoned a small fan from his robo-arm and blew it across Mao Mao’s face. “Yeah but like, so what? If it makes her happy, then we might as well. It’d look cute on the windowsill.”

Mao Mao shot the deputy a look, but Adorabat was already investigating the flower.

“I don’t see what the problem is, Mao,” she whined. “It smells nice! Can’t we take it home?”

“No, that’s- I mean... I don’t... but…” Mao Mao sputtered, feeling small between the prying eyes of the Sweetiepies and his deputies.

Badgerclops looked to Rufus. “So how much is it?”

Rufus clutched his vest with a paw, standing proud. “Six dollars.”

“See, dude? That’s not so bad!”

  
  
“Total rip-off,” Mao Mao grumbled reaching into his neck and pulling out his wallet. He pulled the exact change from the small, duck-stickered billfold and balled the money in his fist. Thrusting it unceremoniously towards the stall, he turned on his heel and led his deputies away with outstretched arms.

“I’ll be dam-” Mao Mao cleared his throat, “-darned, if I give another cent to these troublemakers. Let’s go.”

“Hope to see you again, soon!” Rufus called through his smirk.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Adorabat squealed, hugging the potted not-plant. Badgerclops couldn’t help but giggle as he stared at his partner’s dour expression.

“Lighten up, buddy.”


	4. Day 4: Pink Clothing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: mind angst imminent

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The opening is a flashback to Mao Mao’s childhood!

The cold, spring wind whipped at the young hero’s ears, stinging them. The open-air dojo was a ruthless place; the ancient stone unyielding and coarse. His paws were already calloused from countless hours of holding himself off the rough floor. His elbows were scarred from extended periods of planking. A thousand hard falls had bruised his shoulders and scraped his legs more times than he could count. Strength training. Endurance training. This is what it took to become a legendary hero. This is what it took to live up to the legend of Shin Mao. His sisters could do it, and he could do it too. He had to.

No distractions. A warrior had to remain focused. To lose one’s focus is to lose one’s life. One slip; one lapse in judgement is all it takes. Ignore pain. Ignore desire. A true hero places the mission first, no matter what. Mao Mao’s mission was to become worthy of his family’s namesake. The name carried a lot of weight; a lot of honor. He couldn’t relax, even for a second.

  
Still, the blooms were rather pretty.

On the hillside that their estate overlooked, tufts of bright pink stood out among the dark green tree tops. Little petals, no bigger than one of his digits, fluttered in the breeze and collected against the dojo walls. The delicate flowers juxtaposed the worn combat equipment, settling into the nooks and crannies on weapon racks. Whenever his father was focusing on his sisters’ training, Mao Mao would steal a glance at that hill top. He dreamed of playing in the forest, throwing up armfulls of the little petals and having epic pretend battles with heavy branches.

“You getting tired already?” Shin asked, barely masking the dismissiveness in his voice.

“N-no, papa, never!” Mao Mao called back, calling out the repetitions of his push-ups.

“Three-hundred-eighty-seven, three-hundred-eighty-eight, three-hundred-eighty-nine…”

* * *

A lovely distraction. A fleeting, lingering memory. Fermenting. Souring. Mao Mao felt his bottom lip tighten, dampening his expression as he walked with his deputies. The forest path was beautiful, lined with ancient Sakura trees and a hearty canopy of blossoms. Adorabat zig-zagged across the road, throwing wing-fulls of petals above her head and laughing. Badgerclops had transformed his arm into a video recorder, tracking the young girl as she frolicked.

  
“These blossoms are so pretty!” Adorabat squealed. “Pink is my favorite color!”

“I thought you said blue was your favorite color,” Badgerclops said with a giggle.

“Yeah, but, pink is my  _ super _ -favorite!”

“What does Uncle Mao Mao think?” Badgerclops asked, tilting his arm towards the sheriff.

“Mao Mao?”

The sheriff blinked his eyes a couple times, as if snapping out of a trance. He stared at the camera, then darted his eyes between his deputy and Adorabat.

  
“U-uh... yeah. Whatever.”

“Pff, whatever? I thought your favorite color was red!”

“It is.”

“But don’t you think pink is pretty, too?”

Mao Mao lowered his eyes a bit, putting a hand on Badgerclops’s robo-arm. “Just stop recording me, alright?”

Bagerclops scoffed. “Jeez, dude, just tryna make some memories, c’mon.”

“It’s a distraction.”

“What is- having fun? Would you rather us be in the dojo all day?”

  
Mao Mao swallowed hard, feeling his chest tighten. He opened his mouth to speak, but it felt dry. Instead, he let out a tired sigh.

* * *

Adorabat was the first to reach the front door. She fluttered inside, leaving the way open for Mao Mao and Badgerclops as she flew into their communal bedroom. After some brief rummaging, she returned with her set of paint and a canvas cloth. As the pair took their seats on the couch, Adorabat laid out the cloth in the space between them and the tv.

“What’cha doin’, Adorabat?” Badgerclops asked.

“I’m gonna paint my leg!”

“Oh yeah? What color?”

“Pink, obviously!” Adorabat beamed, holding her paint brush in the air triumphantly.

Badgerclops smiled back at her before glancing at Mao Mao. The sheriff was looking off to the side, resting his cheek in his paw. Frowning a bit, Badgerclops nudged him.

“Dude, c’mon.”

“Oh,” Mao Mao said, glancing at the two. “That’s… very nice, Adorabat.”

“I could make y’all’s clothes pink, too!”

“That’d be great!” / “No, thanks.”

Badgerclops and Mao Mao looked at one another. Without skipping a beat, Badgerclops grabbed him by the hand and stood up. 

“Hey Adorabat, Mao and I need to take care of something real quick. Be careful with the paint, okay?”   
  
“Okay!”

“Badgerclops, what are you-”

Badgerclops shushed the sheriff, practically dragging him by his paw as they walked out of the room. Going down the staircase and into the garage, Badgerclops released Mao Mao’s paw at the bottom of the stairs. He crossed his arms, giving Mao Mao a firm but concerned look.

“Alright, what’s going on?”

It was Mao Mao’s turn to scoff. “What are you talking about?”   
  
“You’re being distant. And rude. To Adorabat, no less! You never act like that.”   
  


Mao Mao retreated into his hunched up shoulders, looking away. “What, I’m not allowed to have a bad day?”

“Not when you’re killing the mood for other people, man. Adorabat’s trying to have fun - and involve us in it as well! You can’t just shoot her down like that! She’s just a kid! Didn’t you ever have fun as a kid?”

The tightness returned in his chest. A wave of passionate, righteous anger, directed at the deputy, surged from him. He puffed himself out, taking a determined step forward and jabbing a finger into Badgerclops’s chest.

“No, I didn’t! Okay? I trained! I worked hard, and didn’t let- let stupid-  _ colors _ and  _ flowers _ and all this junk distract me! I sacrificed all of that to be a hero, and if Adorabat is going to become a hero herself, she needs to get her head out of the clouds!”

Badgerclops blinked, his face relaxing into a look of pity. He reached his hands up, clasping them gently around Mao Mao’s outstretched fist.

“Dude…”

“Don’t… don’t ‘dude’ me, Badgerclops. Being a hero is… serious business. And I…”

The fire was leaving him. Like a mountainside after a forest fire, he felt empty inside. Once he’d said his peace, his nerve had left him. It was being quickly replaced with embarrassment.

Badgerclops tightened his grip. “I’m sorry. Really.”

“It’s not-“ Mao Mao blinked, feeling his eyes begin to sting. “It’s not your fault. You’re… right. I’m acting out of line.”

Mao Mao hated crying. He hated being wrong, too. Showing emotion made him feel vulnerable and weak, even to his closest friends. Still, the deputy’s words weren’t falling on deaf ears. If there was one person Mao Mao could feel comfortable in confiding in, it was Badgerclops.

“Listen. I know you had a lot to live up to growing up, and you turned out to be one of the greatest heroes of all time.”

Mao Mao felt his ears dip. In spite of the embarrassment, a smile poked at the corners of his mouth.

“And you’re a great teacher. Heck, you’re a… great guy, too.” Badgerclops cleared his throat, moving on before he got flustered. 

“But, I need you to be more supportive of Adorabat. You don’t wanna take this away from her, y’know? You can still enjoy all this - through her. Let her have that fun that you didn’t have. You know she’ll turn out fine, and she’ll love you all the more for it when she thinks back on the time that you wore a pink cape around, or when you bought her some dumb fake plant. Know what I’m sayin’?”

Mao Mao withdrew a paw, rubbing his arm across his eyes. He gave Badgerclops a smile, giving the deputy’s outstretched paws a firm shake.

“I do. I’m being selfish, and I acknowledge that. I should be encouraging her instead of letting my past get in the way.”

Badgerclops returned his partner’s smile, stepping forward and squeezing the sheriff in a hug.

Mao Mao rolled his eyes, still smiling as he returned the gesture.

* * *

Adorabat’s peg leg was dripping with fresh, pink paint. She was in the middle of applying the second coat as Mao Mao and Badgerclops returned, looking considerably happier.

“Hey guys!”

“Howdy, Adorabat,” Badgerclops said, raising a hand in greeting.

“Adorabat,” Mao Mao started, “I wanted to… apologize for earlier. I’d, uh… love to join you in your pink clothing endeavors.”

Approaching the young deputy, he got down on one knee and pet the top of her head.

“I know you like this holiday a lot, and I want to make this Spring Festival truly legendary for you.”

Adorabat giggled, blushing as she held her wings to her face.

“Actually, Mao Mao… I don’t think I have enough paint for Badgerclops’s ban… bndoler-“

“Bandolier,” Badgerclops interjected.

“Bandolier, and your clothes!”

“Oh…” Mao Mao said, a bit crestfallen.

“Buuuuut,” Adorabat continued, “I have a solution! Hold on a sec!”

Before Mao Mao could scold her about dripping wet paint around the house, Adorabat zipped past him and back into their bedroom. She emerged seconds later with something clutched in the folds of her wing. Landing beside the sheriff, she held the object up to him. It was a small, pink clip-on ribbon.

“You want me to… wear this?”

“Only if you want to,” Adorabat said, tapping her peg leg against the ground a couple times. “I think it’d look pretty on you.”

Mao Mao took the ribbon in his paw, staring at the translucent, silky fabric. A smile spread across his face, and he bent his head as he clipped it onto the fur under his left ear.

“Well, how do I look?”

Adorabat jumped into the sheriff’s arms, giving him a hug. “You look beautiful, Mao Mao!”

He pat the deputy’s back, glancing up at Badgerclops. His video recorder was back out, pointed towards the two of them as he silently wiped some tears from his eyes. Mao Mao winked at the camera before he scooped Adorabat in his arms and spun her around. He paid no mind to the wet paint splattering against his fur, only caring about sharing in his beloved little deputy’s laughter as they danced around the room.


	5. Day 5: Ice Cream Sunsdays

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone needs a day off, right?  
> Warning: Contains ships

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The wardrobe modifications from the day prior are now canon for the remainder of this event. ^^

“Yep, one large Sunsdays sundae, please.” Badgerclops beamed.

Muffins nodded, heading to the kitchen with a small flourish. The heroes were left to casually observe the small diner, packed with customers on the cool Sunsday afternoon. Sunlight streaked in through opened blinds, casting the tables in a cool glow. The gentle hum of a dozen light conversations filled the air with an indistinct, comforting sound. Cutlery tinked against wooden tables, ice cubes sloshed against plastic cups, and the occasional chair scraped against the tile floor. 

Everything about the environment radiated a sense of comfort and peace. Not even the presence of Rufus and Reggie in a corner booth bothered Mao Mao. That much. He couldn’t help but keep an eye on them, always doubtful of their intentions. However, they seemed to be enjoying the day like everyone else. The moment they broke the law he’d be on them, but for now the delicate line they walked along was tilting towards the side of law. 

The longer he stared, the more he took in the details of their doings. Rufus was laughing - not his canned, cheeky salesman laugh, but a soft, yipping laugh that foxes like him tended to make. Reggie was rattling off little jokes and observations about the Sweetiepies one after another, interrupting himself for his own bouts of laughter. The small sundae between them looked half-finished, with both of them only taking the occasional spoonful during lulls in the conversation.

There was something more to it, though. The way they laughed. The way they looked at one another. The genuineness of Rufus’ smile when the two of them locked eyes. The way he was able to hunch his shoulders, completely casual, as he leaned over the table to whisper to Reggie. Mao Mao had never considered it before, but it seemed obvious to him now. Those two weren’t simply partners in crime. They were, well, partners.

He couldn’t help but find the similarity a bit funny. Endearing, even.

Breaking off his stare before they noticed, Mao Mao looked back to Badgerclops. The freshly-pink bandolier around his waist was flaking a bit, sprinkling his chest with flecks of paint. Mao Mao raised a hand to the little pink ribbon in his hair, making sure it wasn’t tilted to the side.

“So, a large, huh? I hope you aren’t expecting me to eat much of it.”

“I dunno, dude. Everyone’s recommended Muffins’ sundaes. You might like it more than you think.”

“Well, I don’t tend to eat unhealthy food is all…” Mao Mao rapped his fingers along the bar.

“Just don’t knock it until you try it, okay?” Badgerclops said, giving the sheriff a smile.

“Alright, alright.”

As they shared a glance at one another, Muffins returned with a large ice cream bowl, stacked high with vanilla ice cream and a plethora of toppings. Mao Mao was certain that she’d put half a bottle of chocolate syrup on there, and a whole canister of whipped cream. Caramel drizzled along mounds of soft serve, interspersed with slices of banana and topped with a plump, scarlet cherry. He could already feel his teeth ache, but Badgerclops looked more than excited for both of them.

She set the bowl down between the pair, a small spoon sticking out of each side. The excused herself to go tend to another patron with a short, “Enjoy!” And a wink, leaving them to their dessert.

Mao Mao wasn’t sure where to begin. He took the spoon in his hand with caution, carefully scooping out a dollop that included some syrup and caramel - but not too much. He didn’t want to get nauseous from eating something too sweet. The cold ice cream always irritated his teeth, so he tried to get a small enough amount that he could avoid contact. It took several more trial scoops and a bit of tactical fidgeting with the excess toppings, but he got an ideally-sized bite.

Badgerclops was already several spoonfuls in. He shoveled the soft, gratuitously-topped ice cream into his mouth with gusto, only stopping to let his rising brain freeze abate. He picked off bits of banana, gnawing on the cold fruit and using the more firm chips to scoop up bits of whipped cream. It was even better than he had expected.

“Whaddya think, Mao?” Badgerclops asked, reaching for another banana slice. “I told you this was the best!”

Mao Mao had just inserted the carefully-prepared ice cream into his mouth, pondering the plethora of sweet tastes that numbed his tongue on contact. His eyes widened as he felt the sticky, sugary sweetness tingle through him, giving him chills. It was delicious in every sense of the word, and as he cleaned off his spoon, he felt a growing desire to dig in like his partner had.

“Hold that thought,” Mao Mao said calmly, before quickly securing another spoonful and stuffing it in his mouth. He let out a slight moan, and his eyes shut as he meditated on the flavor of vanilla and caramel.

“Ugh, it’s so good…” Mao Mao muttered, bringing a hand to his cheek.

“I know, right?” Badgerclops replied, using his spoon once more.

The two of them ate their fill, reducing the once large and imposing sundae into little more than a melting, fist-sized bit of leftover ice cream with the cherry still on top. The heroes sighed contentedly, hunching over the bar. Their hands touched as they splayed their arms out, and they looked at one another. Badgerclops felt his face get a bit warm, and Mao Mao glanced to the side, but neither of them retracted their hands.

“Looks like you enjoyed it,” Badgerclops said.

“Alright, it was pretty good. I’m gonna have to do a lot of ab work to make up for it but… it was worth it.”

“Well, there’s still a little more if you wanna finish it off. Might as well, right?”

“Actually,” Mao Mao said, reaching into the bowl, “You need to eat healthier. Here.”

With a flick of his wrist, Mao Mao tossed the cherry at Badgerclops. The deputy jerked his head a bit, making an instinctive dodge. The drupe landed on his cheek with a little  _ splat _ , sticking to his fur. He reached over and grabbed the cherry, twirling it by its stem before chomping the plump fruit and flicking the remnants into the bowl.

“Hold up,” Mao Mao said, placing a hand on Badgerclops’ shoulder. He leaned in towards the deputy’s cheek, where a bit of residual ice cream stained against his fur. With a quick kiss, he smudged the mess clean and retracted with a faint smacking of his lips.

“There we go!”

Mao Mao’s smug expression contrasted with Badgerclops’ flustered surprise.

“Did you just…” Badgerclops muttered, putting a paw against his cheek.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Mao Mao replied with a smirk.

The deputy dipped a claw into the bowl, flicking a bit of ice cream onto Mao Mao’s cheek.

“Oh, jeez,” Badgerclops said flatly, “lemme get that for ‘ya.”

Mao Mao scoffed as the deputy put a hand on his cheek and leaned in. “Really?“

A sudden twist on Mao Mao’s cheek made him jerk his head to the left. He found himself staring right into Badgerclops’ eye as the distance closed between them. Their lips touched, puckering in a slow, sustained kiss that left Mao Mao frozen. His pupils dilated as his hands hovered in midair, even after Badgerclops retracted.

Mao Mao let out a soft wheeze.

“Oops,” Badgerclops giggled, “guess my hand slipped.”


	6. Day 6: Fruit Picking

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick shout-out to renpawbs for taking the time to discuss ideas for prompts with me! These wouldn't be possible without his input and feedback.

“Alright, now- here’s a basket for you, eyup,” Farmer Bun said, placing a sturdy wicker basket on the counter and sliding it towards Badgerclops.

“And here’s one for you, Adorabat,” he continued, placing another one on the counter. Adorabat swooped on top of it, lifting it with her leg.

The farmer tossed a third basket onto the counter. It clattered unceremoniously towards Mao Mao.

“Sheriff.”

Mao Mao nodded sheepishly, taking the basket in his hand. It didn’t surprise him that Bun was still a bit curt with him after what came to be known as the  _ incident _ , but he figured the least he could do was support the local business.

  
“So, how much do I owe ‘ya, Bun?” Mao Mao asked.

“That’s Farmer Bun to you. And it’s thirty.”

Mao Mao froze mid wallet-grab. “I thought there was a family discount?”   


  
“I ain’t chargin’ for them.”

Mao Mao let out a soft sigh as he pulled his wallet out. “Right.”

After taking the payment, Farmer Bun hopped off of his stool and led the party to a forest path behind the storefront. The trio ducked under low branches and hopped over puddles, inching their way down steeper inclines and taking care not to slip on overturned logs.

“So, what’s a Winter Berry, anyway?” Mao Mao asked as the group clambered their way down.

Farmer Bun stopped, turning to face the group. “You ain’t never heard of a winter berry before, sheriff?”

Mao Mao shook his head. “Is it some kind of local delicacy?”

“Well, I suppose you could say that,” Bun said as he continued down the path, “it’s a special type of berry we got growin’ around the forest here, y’see. Real particular harvestin’ season, but it’s a good part’a my livelihood.”

“Picking berries is that popular?”

The farmer let out a short laugh. “Boy, you weren’t lyin’. You really don’t know?”

“Uh… no. What are you talking about?” Mao Mao asked, feeling some annoyance rise in his voice.

“I thought you really liked winter berries, Mao Mao,” Adorabat said, fluttering to his side. “I mean, what with all the cobbler-”   


  
“Abababa- wedon’tneedtotalkaboutthat,” Mao Mao interrupted, waving a hand in front of her face.   


  
“Naw, naw, she’s right, sheriff,” the farmer said. “I use winter berries as the primary ingredient in my Summer Cobbler. You’re pretty well acquainted with the stuff, I reckon.”

“I thought they were called Sugar Berries?” Badgerclops spoke up.

Bun shrugged. “Brandin’ purposes.”

“So then,” Mao Mao continued, “what’s special about winter berries?”

The path leveled off as Mao Mao asked his question, and the group found themselves in the midst of a dense thicket. Short, dense bushes stretched across the forest for dozens of yards, each of them looking like they still had snow hanging off of them. Upon closer inspection, the ‘snow’ was actually densely-packed clusters of individual berries. All of them were a stark white, appearing waxy in the sunlight.

“I’ll answer while y’all pick your fill. Now go on, get ‘yer berries, you paid for ‘em.”

The trio looked at one another, sharing a smile before breaking off into individual sectors. Adorabat set her basket on the ground before zipping over the tops of the tallest bushes. She grabbed the biggest berries she could find and dropped them into the basket with a clatter. Badgerclops used his robo-arm to snatch up berries by the dozen, scattering them into the basket he held while he hummed to himself. 

Mao Mao stopped at a nearby bush, inspecting the new flora with a careful eye. Farmer Bun hopped up beside him and stuffed his paws in his overalls.

  
“You really are curious about these things, huh?”

“Yes…” Mao Mao said slowly, turning the berry around on its stem. “Studying nature is an important survival skill, for things like foraging or hunting wild animals. That and, well, plants are kinda cool.”

The farmer let out a short hum. “Well, I’ll give ‘ya the long version if you’re that interested. Go on, now, don’t be shy. I ain’t gonna use half ‘a these berries.”

Mao Mao looked to Bun and gave him a friendly nod. He started to pluck the berries, one by one, and look them over for defects.

“So, these here snow berries are a curious thing. The bushes live year ‘round - a hearty, deep-rooted bush that’s resistant to extreme heat and cold. The berries are real sweet-like, so the animals eat ‘em up real early in the season.”

“So that’s why you can only get them this time of year?” Mao Mao asked, looking up from his picking.

Bun gave the sheriff an approving nod. “Astute thinkin’. See, the bushes live year ‘round, so they start flowerin’ the moment the freeze ends. By the time the ground’s all softened up and the trees start growin’ their leaves back, these here bushes are already producin’ the first berries.”

“Fascinating,” Mao Mao muttered. “But wait, if these berries are white, why was the cobbler purple?”

“Ah,” Bun replied, grabbing a berry and biting into it. “The thick, white skin acts as a camouflage. They grow like this until they ripen, then they fall to the forest floor where the snow doesn’t tend to pile up on account ‘a the bushes bein’ so thick. Little foragers grab the ripe berries and run off with ‘em. Under that thick white skin is a nice, juicy purple innard. Sweet as can be, yup.”

Mao Mao nibbled on one of the berries. The  _ pop _ of the berry’s skin against his teeth was followed by the splashing of sugary, sticky liquid. His eyes shot up as he smacked his lips together.

  
“Hot dog, these are good!” Mao Mao exclaimed.

“Now you know the secret behind my prize-winnin’ cobbler.” Bun chuckled.

“I can’t wait to make something of my own out of these,” Mao Mao said, squeezing his way out of the thicket.

“I didn’t take you for the bakin’ sort.”

“It’s a hobby of mine,” Mao Mao shrugged. “I’ve always wanted to bake a cobbler, actually.”

Farmer Bun ran a paw across his chin. “You’ve never baked a cobbler before? Seems odd for someone with a hankerin’ for ‘em like yours. Guess that explains a couple things.”

The deputies came up behind Mao Mao, their baskets filled to similar capacity.

“Tell you what,” Bun said with a slight nod, “when we get back to the homestead, I’ll slide you one ‘a my older recipes. It ain’t perfect, but it’ll give you something to play around with.”

“R-really?” Mao Mao perked up.

“I don’t see the harm in it,” Bun shrugged. “I figure it’ll keep you outta this year’s batch for a little longer.”

Mao Mao shrunk a bit in embarrassment, but he straightened up a bit as the farmer gave him a laugh and a playful ribbing to his side.

“I’d appreciate that a lot, Farmer Bun. Thank you.”

The farmer waved a hand. “Pay no mind, sheriff. Now, let’s start headin’ back.”


	7. Day 7: Cobbler Baking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Friendly rivalries between these two are anything but.

Badgerclops set the piping-hot cobbler on the counter. Steam poured off of the rectangular dish, filled with a neatly-cut and layered crust. Between the cuts laid slight gashes of deep purple filling, sending a heavenly aroma of fresh pastry and sugar into the air. He admired his creation, and gave himself a mental pat on the back for his efforts. He had no doubt that it tasted as good as it smelled, and he couldn’t wait to dig in.

“Ah, it smells delicious,” Mao Mao said as he sauntered into the kitchen.

“Thanks, dude! I worked really hard on it, and-”

“What was that?” Mao Mao perked his ears up, giving his deputy an inquisitive look. 

The sheriff had approached the counter as well, but stopped a few feet short of Badgerclops and his cobbler. Instead, Mao Mao stood in front of the cobbler that he had baked a short time ago. While the presentation was much less uniform than Badgerclops’, Mao Mao had managed to bake it into the outline of his face, complete with surface-drizzlings of vanilla icing for his whiskers.

“Oh,” Badgerclops muttered, pulling his chef’s hat off, “you were talking about your cobbler.”

“Well, yeah, I did just make the best cobbler this valley’s ever seen - on, like, my first try! Of course I’m talking about my cobbler.”

“How do you know that if you haven’t tried mine yet?” Badgerclops asked with a smirk.

Mao Mao let out a short chuckle. “Is that a challenge? Because I’m more than confident I can prove, definitively, that  _ I’m _ the superior baker here. Gimme a fork.”

Badgerclops reached into a drawer and pulled out two forks. “And, when  _ I _ prove that  _ my _ cobbler is the best, I’ll make another one to celebrate, ‘cuz you’ll probably eat it all.”

“I will not!” Mao Mao shouted. “And don’t get your hopes up - I put an extra special touch on this baby,” Mao Mao said, patting the tin, “so you don’t stand a chance.”

“Dude, vanilla icing isn’t that special.”

Mao Mao growled. “Stand aside! I’ll be the judge of what’s  _ not so special _ .”

The pair swapped spots and dug their forks into one another’s cobblers. Mao Mao cooled his piece down while Badgerclops inspected the piece he grabbed. Taking simultaneous bites, they munched thoughtfully before swallowing. They turned to another, already mid-sentence in their criticism.

“First of all, your crust is dry-”

“I told you vanilla wasn’t that special! It made it too sweet-”

“-Boring execution, cliché presentation-”

“-you’re just being a narcissistic little-”

  
“-lazy good-for-nothing-”   
  
“Shut up!” / “Shut up!”

“Make me!” / “Make me!?”

The pair grit their teeth as they fumed.

“Adorabat, get in here!” Mao Mao commanded. The little deputy fluttered into the kitchen after a couple seconds, giving the pair a confused look.

“Is everything okay in here?”   
  


“We need you to be a taste tester,” Mao Mao started, “you can decide which one of us is the superior cobbler maker.”

  
Adorabat cocked her head to the side. “Didn’t y’all just learn how to make that stuff, like, yesterday?”

  
Mao Mao and Badgerclops looked at one another.   
  
“That’s beside the point!” Badgerclops called, grabbing two more forks and two plates.

“Yeah, this is more than just a desert, it’s a matter of honor! I won’t have my mastery of baking besmirched by this- this, upstart pastry chef!”

Badgerclops gasped. “I am  _ not _ an upstart! I’ve been doing this for…”

He counted on his claws. “How long have we been together?”   
  
“Three years, five months, twenty-four days, two hours…” Mao Mao checked his watch, “eleven minutes and fourty-seven seconds.”

“Jeez, man.”

“And I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.”

Badgerclops let out a slight giggle. “Aw.”

“But! If there’s one thing I excel at, it’s baking! And I won’t take your comments as anything less than a challenge.”

“Well then challenge  _ accepted _ , bro!” Badgerclops announced as he put his chef’s hat back on.

Mao Mao glared at the deputy. “Set the table.”

“Already done,” Badgerclops said as his robo-arm finished placing the utensils and plates down.

“Alright, Adorabat, I need you to trust in your taste buds… and pick my cobbler to be the best.” Mao Mao gave her a wink.

“Actually, I’m not really hungry so…” Adorabat trailed, racking her brain for a solution. Right as Mao Mao was about to insist, her eyes widened in epiphany and she clasped her wings together. “Why don’t y’all just try your cobblers?”

“Uh, we already did?” Badgerclops said, looking up from the candle he was placing on the center of the table.

“Yeah, but did ‘ya do it blindfolded?”   
  
Mao Mao scoffed. “Of course not. Heroes aren’t biased. I know a bad cobbler when I taste it.”

“Says the guy who grew up not being able to eat any,” Badgerclops muttered.

Mao Mao felt his ears hang back as he crossed his arms. “Fine! Get the blindfolds.”

Adorabat fluttered out of the room for a minute, returning with two red blindfolds. She tied one around Mao Mao’s eyes, and tied the other around Badgerclops’. Leading them to the table, she set them down. Taking the plates from the table, Adorabat went over to the cobblers and got a sample of each. She was careful to avoid a piece of Mao Mao’s with vanilla on it, ensuring there were no special toppings to give the taste away.

She slid the two plates between the heroes. On the left was Mao Mao’s cobbler, and on the right was Badgerclops’. Starting with the cobbler on the left, Adorabat got two forkfuls and held them in her wings.

“Alright, first cobbler.”

The heroes opened their mouths, and Adorabat fed them. They ate slowly, considering the taste without giving away any audible decisions. A short time after they had finished, Adorabat grabbed cobbler from Badgerclops’ plate. Feeding the two of them once more, the heroes nodded with confidence.

“Alright, if you liked the first cobbler raise your left hand. If you liked the second, raise your right. Ready? Go!”

Mao Mao raised his right hand. Badgerclops raised his left.

Adorabat stifled a chuckle. “Mao Mao, what made you make your choice?”   
  
“Well, that’s easy,” Mao Mao started, “everything about it was perfect. The crust was soft, the filling was just the right consistency, and it melted in my mouth. Obviously it was made by the chef with the best skill.”

“And Badgerclops,” Adorabat said as she turned to the deputy, “what’s good about you?”

“Like... I guess everything that Mao Mao said, except it’s just better. I don’t know. Something about it. It was just… really good.”

“And that’s your final answer, both of you?”

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.” Mao Mao said.

“Alright, take your blindfolds off!”

They took their blindfolds off, staring at Adorabat expectantly.

“Alright... so the left cobbler was... Mao Mao’s!”

“What?!” Badgerclops blurted out.

Mao Mao laughed in triumph. “I told you! I told you I was the better baker! Obviously I-”

“Mao Mao,” Adorabat started, “you chose the one on the  _ right _ , remember?”   
  


The sheriff blinked, freezing mid-celebration. “I… I did?”

They looked at one another, their expressions softening.

“You liked it?” Badgerclops asked.

  
Mao Mao rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, yeah, I guess it was... pretty good.  _ Better than mine _ .”

“Don’t even - yours was the best, really! I wasn’t just saying that, I swear. You’re an... amazing baker.”

“Ah, c’mon…” Mao Mao waved a hand at Badgerclops, bringing the other to his cheek as he blushed.

Badgerclops put a hand on Mao Mao’s shoulder, giving him a smile. Mao Mao lowered his hand onto the deputy’s opposite shoulder.

“I think… I owe you an apology,” Mao Mao sighed, “for insulting you and your baking skills. You’re just as good as I am.”

“I’m sorry for calling you a narcissist.” Badgerclops mumbled, bringing his other paw onto Mao Mao’s free shoulder.

“And I’m sorry for calling you lazy,” Mao Mao said, reciprocating.

They brought their foreheads together, chuckling a bit. 

“Alright,” Adorabat said, fluttering into the air, “If you guys are done fighting, I’m getting outta here before you get all mushy again.”

Mao Mao and Badgerclops looked at one another, blushing a bit.

“Sorry, Adorabat!” Badgerclops said, smiling at her.

“And thank you,” Mao Mao continued, nodding to her, “you’re the best deputy a guy could have.”


	8. Day 8: Flower Crowns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reggie and Rufus are back! And they're... giving things away for a change.

Mao Mao couldn’t help but feel a bit wary.

The town square was once again the scene of a public spectacle. Rufus and Reggie were back, manning a stall in front of the fountain. A sign was posted on the front that read, “Free Flower Crowns”, and indeed there did seem to be many citizens running around with wire meshes of various flora on their heads. Rufus had a crown on as well - a simple fixture of orange tulips.

“I mean, this can’t be something bad,” Badgerclops insisted, “it’s not like they’re handing out, like, poison or something.”

“I know, I know.” Mao Mao nodded, folding his arms. “It’s not a risk, but still. I don’t trust them.”

“Maybe they’re just being nice?” Adorabat interjected, perching on Badgerclops’ shoulder.

Badgerclops hummed in agreement. “Even if it’s, like, a marketing ploy or something, it’s still free - and I think it’d be fun! Let’s do it.”

“Alright, fine. But only because you want to.” Mao Mao decided, letting his arms down.

Badgerclops giggled. “Good enough for me!”

Adorabat raced ahead of them, fluttering in front of the stall as Mao Mao and Badgerclops sauntered up to the table. Rufus was ready to greet them with an uncharacteristically warm smile.

“Good afternoon, dear friends! I’ve been waiting for you three in particular.”

“You have?” Mao Mao asked.

“Why yes, and I’ve got just the thing for you,” the fox continued, rummaging around under the counter. Bringing his arms back up, he held three crowns in his hands - all of them sporting a charming array of pastel pink roses.

“It seems that pink is  _ in _ this year, so I had these custom-made for you.”

Mao Mao’s expression softened. “Really? What for?”

Rufus shrugged. “I suppose we’re just doing something nice for a change, to thank all of our loyal customers.”

“Well, either way we get these for free, right?” Badgerclops spoke up.

“No charge at all. You may do with them as you wish.”

The trio looked at one another, each grabbing a crown. Mao Mao turned to Adorabat and smiled, lifting the wire to her head and placing it snug between her ears. Badgerclops came up behind Mao Mao, tilting it on one side as he brought it down on him. While the sheriff readjusted, Adorabat flew up and dropped the crown in her foot on Badgerclops’ head.

“Well, how do we look?” Adorabat asked.

Rufus chuckled. “You certainly look like a family.”

“Aw,” Badgerclops said, bringing his arms around Adorabat and Mao Mao, “he called us a family.”

The sheriff shuffled under Badgerclops’ embrace. “While unexpected, it is… endearing. And sweet. Thank you, Rufus.”

“It’s my pleasure, but…” Rufus trailed as Reggie rounded the corner from behind the stall. Of course, he also had a crown on, consisting of blue poppies.

“There is one  _ small _ thing.”

Mao Mao crossed his arms. “I had a feeling.”

“Now, now, it’s not what you think. The crowns are free, of course.”

“But a picture is five dollars.” Reggie chimed in, holding up an instant camera.

Mao Mao wanted to scoff at the price, especially since Badgerclops had a perfectly good robot arm with media attachments. However, the idea of getting all three of them in a shot was tempting. It wasn’t that Badgerclops was bad at photography, but the “selfie” angle left something to be desired. He looked to his deputies, who seemed to encourage the idea.

“Five dollars? You better make it a good one.” Mao Mao said with a smirk.

“Of course. Reggie prides himself on his photography,” Rufus said, patting his associate on the head.

Setting the camera on the counter, Reggie climbed onto it with Rufus’ assistance. Now at eye-level, Reggie readied his camera.

“Alright- tall guy in the middle! ‘Lil Blue, perch on his-left-my-right shoulder… and Mao Mao, stand in front of him on his-right-my-left…”

The trio got into position, working on poses to make for the camera. Badgerclops gave his simple, trademark smile. Adorabat smiled as wide as she could, splaying her wings to her sides. Mao Mao looked into the camera with a cool half-smirk.

The angle for the picture was perfect. The Main Street was right behind them, allowing him to center the trio and give them a clear foreground. He brought a digit to the button, scrolling the focus ever so slightly as he made his final adjustments.

“Mao Mao, could you bring your head up a bit?”

The sheriff rolled his eyes, but complied.

“Alright, on three! One, two…”

With a click of the button, the camera snapped. From the slit at the bottom came a black photo, which Reggie took and began to shake.

“A perfect photo, I’m sure,” Rufus said, “now just wait a minute for it to develop.”

Adorabat fluttered to the stall. “Have you guys taken a lot of pictures so far?”

Rufus shrugged. “Here and there. Not too many, I’m afraid. Why do you ask?”

“Well… have you taken any pictures of yourselves?”

Rufus blinked, looking at Reggie. The raccoon’s eyes seemed to light up as he placed the camera on the counter.

“Hey, that’s a great idea, Blue! You should take a picture of us!”

Rufus cleared his throat, his white cheek fur reddening. “It would be…. convenient, if you could.”

Adorabat snatched up the camera, holding it sideways as she fiddled with it. “Sure thing! Lemme just find the button for the… stuff.”

“Hold up, lemme fix it up for ‘ya,” Badgerclops said, taking the camera from the deputy and putting it in focus.

“I haven’t even thought of a pose,” Rufus muttered, rubbing two digits along the tip of his tail. “It’s been so long since we’ve had a picture together.”

“I have an idea,” Reggie said as he held his arms out, “pick me up!”

“C’mon, Reg…” Rufus muttered again, feeling himself shrink.

Mao Mao put a hand on the counter, grabbing Rufus’ attention. “Hey, no need to be nervous. I saw the way you two got along at Muffins’ the other day.”

“You- you did?”

“I didn’t know you had a soft side to you,” Mao Mao said with a laugh. “It’d be nice to see it more often.”

“Well…” Rufus tugged at his ascot, smiling at his partner. He took Reggie in his arms and cradled him on his shoulder. Reggie wrapped an arm behind Rufus’ neck and held two digits up with his other paw. Rufus nuzzled into his partner’s side, smiling towards the group.

“There we go!” Badgerclops announced, handing the camera back to Adorabat. “Hold it like this, and hit that button on three, okay?”

Adorabat modded.

“Alright,” Badgerclops started, “one, two… three!”

The camera flashed once more, spitting out a new photo. It fluttered onto the countertop, landing beside the now-developed picture of the Sheriff’s Department. Mao Mao took the gang’s photo and showed it to his deputies.

“Not bad, right?”

This looks really good, actually. We should find a picture frame for it.” Badgerclops said.

“It’ll look perfect by the window with our plant!” Adorabat chimed in.

Mao Mao nodded. “Good suggestions, y’all.” He looked up from the photo, towards Reggie and Rufus. They hadn’t let go of one another, staring at the photo they had just taken as Rufus held it in his paw.

  
“Hey, uh, don’t I still owe you for the photo?”   
  


Rufus looked up, caught off guard.

“Huh? Oh, that. Um... nevermind. You can just run along!”

Mao Mao gave a nod. “I appreciate it. Y’all have a good day.”

“You too, sheriff.”

The trio walked away, set on finding a suitable frame to store their photo in. As they disappeared down the road, Rufus nuzzled into Reggie’s side once more.

“That was rather auspicious, wasn’t it?”

Reggie giggled. “I know, right? I was afraid to ask someone in case they found out.”

“It’s a good recreation of our first photo, isn’t it? Though I think I’ve gotten a bit older since then.”   
  
“Nah, Rufus, you’re as healthy as ever.” Reggie said, hugging his chest.

“And you’re as plucky as you were the day we met.”

Rufus placed the photo on the counter and grabbed a pen from his coat. With his free hand he scribbled on the underside of the photo - “Pure Heart Valley”, then signed his name.

Offering the pen to Reggie, Rufus bent his partner down so he could sign his name as well. Reggie clicked the pen shut and returned it. The two of them admired their photo one more time before taking another glance at one another. Making sure nobody was watching, they leaned in for a quick kiss.

Rufus gave his partner a squeeze. “Happy anniversary.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was a little less overt - I had an idea that when Reggie and Rufus first became serious, they made little flower crowns for one another. To celebrate their anniversary this year, they decided to hand out crowns to the townspeople during their visit. They didn't tell anyone, though, so it's just their little secret. Thanks for reading!


	9. Day 9: Gift Baskets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A phone call interrupts an otherwise lazy day for the sheriff's department.

The living room was filled with the sound of furiously clacking joysticks. Adorabat and Badgerclops were several rounds deep in a competitive video game, both of them standing and leaning into their characters’ movements. Adorabat had gotten a lot better at video games since she was first introduced to them, and now posed a capable threat to Badgerclops’ mastery of the virtual realm.

Mao Mao watched from the sidelines, acting as both audience and mediator in case either of them got too invested. Wanting to get something out of it, he practiced yoga poses while observing his deputies’ little tournament. He effortlessly held himself in a scorpion pose, reading a newspaper he had laid on the floor in front of him.

“C’mon, c’mon!” Badgerclops shouted, leaning forward.

  
Adorabat hopped up and down on the couch. “I’m gonna win!”

“Not a chance, dude, I still have another move up my slee-”

“Not if I freeze you!”

“Wait, you can do that? I thought we house-ruled no crowd control!”

Mao Mao cleared his throat. “Badgerclops, last round you used the… slow aura… thing, even though you two had a lengthy discussion about it, which concluded with the ruling that it was, in fact,  _ crowd control _ .”

Badgerclops rolled his eyes. “Alright, whatever. Good game, Adorabat.”

“Gee-gee, no re!”

“Adorabat, be a good sport.” Mao Mao warned. He shot a look at Badgerclops. “I told you your smack-talk was influencing her.”

Ignoring the sheriff, Badgerclops gave Adorabat a pat on the back. Despite the outcome, they both seemed content. They went to the kitchen to grab some snacks, leaving Mao Mao alone. One more minute and he would release his pose, concluding his mini-workout. As he counted down, his mental clock was interrupted by a buzzing from within the folds of his cape. Balancing on one arm, he reached a paw to his neck and pulled out his phone. The ringtone indicated that it was the king, but thankfully it was the non-emergency line.

“Yyyello? Sheriff’s Department, Mao Mao speaking.”

“ _ Oh, Sheriff! I hope you’re not busy. I wanted to discuss a few things with you, if you don’t mind. _ ”

He didn’t mind, but the weight was quickly getting to his other arm.

“Hold that thought, your grace. I’m gonna put you on speaker, okay?”

“ _ Quite, quite. _ ”

Setting the phone in front of him, he tapped the speaker function and returned to his pose.

“Alright, that’s better. What’s up?”

“ _ Well, first of all I wanted to congratulate you and your deputy for almost one whole year of service to the kingdom! I daresay we wouldn’t have made it a month without you two showing up! _ ”

“Heh, yeah…” Mao Mao trailed. He supposed it was a blessing that nobody remembered  _ why _ they needed a sheriff’s department in the first place.

“ _ And secondly, I wanted to make a request of you all. You see, around this time of year I clear out some of my extra beauty supplies and knicknacks by handing out these adorable little gift baskets to the people - bread and circuses, you know. Well, in light of your rising stardom, I was hoping you could make some autographs for us to slip in! It’d mean a lot for my imag- er, a lot for the people who you so tirelessly protect. Could you be so kind? _ ”

Adorabat and Badgerclops were leaned over the counter, listening to the discussion while they nibbled on a bag of chips.

“What’s an autograph?” Adorabat aked.

Badgerclops shrugged. “It’s, like, you scribble something on a piece of paper or a picture, but because you’re famous, it’s important.”

Adorabat’s eyes lit up. “Ooh, I love scribbling!”

“Do you enjoy scribbling the same thing a hundred times?”

“Not… really…” Adorabat muttered, feeling her wings grow sore.

“Yeah, it kinda sucks. Part of the reason we  **_stopped doing them_ ** ,” Badgerclops spoke up, looking towards the sheriff.

Mao Mao shot Badgerclops a look back. “We’d  _ love _ to, your grace. We’ll have them ready by tonight.”

“Dude, what?!-”   


“ _ Splendid! Please drop them off by sunset. Quinton is going to be very busy preparing the baskets and he needs his union-mandated 30 minutes of rest. I’ll be seeing you, ciao! _ ”

The call ended and Mao Mao vaulted to his feet, grabbing his phone mid-frontflip. He stuffed it back into his cape, smirking at his dismayed deputy.

“Bro, I had  _ plans _ for today! A whole day to just chill, and now you’re making me sign stuff!”

“It’s our civic duty, Badgerclops. We’re technically getting paid to sit around right now, so this is the least we can do.”

Badgerclops scoffed. “You just want to print out a bunch of pictures of you looking cool.”

Mao Mao wagged a finger. “No, no, I want to print out a bunch of pictures of  _ us _ looking cool. You’ve been recording our fights, right?”

“Yeah…?”

  
“We’ll just comb through them, find some nice action shots, print out a bunch, and sign them. Easy.”

“Fine, but you’re buying the next round of printer ink.”

* * *

The group spent the next several hours pouring over the fights they had gotten into. The videos were all recorded in high quality, giving them a lot of material to work with. Finding pictures of Badgerclops was more difficult since he was the one with the camera, but there were a couple parts where he stopped fighting long enough to take a picture of himself while his allies fought - much to Mao Mao’s annoyance.

“We’d have less close calls if you didn’t hot-dog like that, you know.”

“Unless you’re gonna let me install a camera in your eye, I don’t wanna hear it.”   


  
“I want an eye camera!” Adorabat spoke up.

  
“No!” they replied in unison.

A carefully-curated selection of shots was selected and printed out in bulk. A dozen different pictures - 4 for each member, were printed out in roughly equal amounts. Nobody knew the census for the kingdom so they settled on three hundred. Badgerclops got to work cutting the pictures out, using his robo-arm to snip through multiple pages at once. Adorabat and Mao Mao got the materials ready, transforming their kitchen table into a signing booth. Multiple paint sets were set out, along with racks for the signed pictures to dry. As the two finished setting down drop cloths on the floor to prevent stains, Badgerclops returned with a dozen stacks of pictures, all piled next to one another on an overturned box lid. 

They divvied up the stacks and got to work, each member signing a picture of themself before setting it to the side. Adorabat had various poses of her either flying over a foe or a still of her with a smoke bomb in her wing, in mid-throw. Badgerclops had several shots of him smiling at the camera with the fight in the background, but his favorite was a mid-air shot that showed his friends, a monster, and part of the city behind him. Mao Mao’s pictures were all of him mid-strike, either batting a monster away like an oversized baseball or tearing clean through wood and metal. They were wonderful to look at, but that didn’t make their work any less laborious.

They all dipped their paws (or wing) in paint, then slapped it against the side of the picture and scrawled a signature with a digit before setting it aside. Try as they might, the paint got everywhere. By the end of their ordeal, the three of them had a multi-colored mess splattered all over their fronts, and their signing hands felt heavy under the multiple layers of paint that had accumulated on them. They had all long-since given up on the idea of cleaning their paws after each signing, leaving behind a mess that was likely to remain for the foreseeable future.

“I’m literally  _ never _ doing that again, I don’t care who asks.” Badgerclops sighed, leaning into his chair.

Adorabat fell asleep after putting the last picture away, falling face-first into a standing pool of cyan. Mao Mao nursed his sore arm, regretting his earlier decision to get a workout in. Ignoring the mess on his front, he got up and started collecting all the pictures into a sack.

“Alright, good job y’all. I’ll run these over to the King.”

Badgerclops lifted Adorabat from the table, cradling her on his shoulder. He grabbed a towel and started wiping the excess paint off of her forehead, quickly turning it into a mostly-blue-stained mess.

“We’ll worry about cleaning the kitchen in the morning. Just do me a favor and clean her up before you put her to bed.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Badgerclops said, walking Adorabat to the sink and turning on the hot water. “I don’t think all the paint we used was water-soluble but I’ll see what I can do. Worse comes to worst we shave, I guess.”

Mao Mao nodded, coming up to his deputies. He gave Adorabat a pat on the head, then brought an arm around Badgerclops. They stared at one another, tired but happy.

“Sorry I took up your day like that,” Mao Mao started, “I didn’t expect it to take all that long. I’m sure it’ll be worth it, though.”

“Don’t sweat it, dude. It was kinda nice to relive the memories, and it felt good to do something for the kingdom or whatever. Just... consult me next time? Or else I’m gonna start signing you up for junk.”

“Message received,” Mao Mao chuckled, giving him a squeeze. “I’ll be back soon, alright?”

“I’ll probably still be up after I put Adorabat to bed. Wanna watch TV when you get back?”

“It’s a date.”

“Then I’ll see you when you get back,” Badgerclops said, putting a claw on Mao Mao’s nose. Mao Mao drew his head back, glancing to the side as he felt heat rise to his cheeks.

“Yeah yeah, alright.”

Mao Mao turned to leave, but was interrupted by Badgerclops speaking up.

“Hey- I think you’re forgetting something.”

Mao Mao glanced behind him. “What?”

“Love you!”

Mao Mao smirked, rolling his eyes. “Yeah, yeah, love you too.”


	10. Day 10: Egg Decoration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More painting?

Mao Mao pulled the door shut with a soft click. He had returned from his early morning patrol, having let Adorabat and Badgerclops recuperate from the night before. There was nothing to report, aside from an unusual abundance of decorated eggs throughout the city. Surprisingly, that one wasn’t Rufus and Reggie’s doing. Of all the old traditions that had been lost from the time before the valley’s isolation, egg-painting had endured. 

The saturation of egg decorations straddled the line between excessive and disruptive, but Mao Mao resisted the urge to take matters into his own hands. If anything, the idea of celebrating the holiday at home sounded like a fun idea - albeit with a strict one-egg-per-person limit. On the way back, he had stopped by a store to get a dozen plank decorative eggs and some fresh paint brushes.

Taking advantage of being the first to rise, Mao Mao cleaned the kitchen as best he could and cleared up space for the event. While he was at it, he started cooking breakfast so he could warm up the deputies to the idea. He didn’t doubt that neither of them wanted to so much as look at any quantity of paint, much less paint any intricate designs. He wouldn’t let that stop them, though - if it was part of the holiday, they were going to celebrate it, no matter what.

As he folded the last omelette, sprinkling chives and salt on top, he heard the shuffling of Badgerclops’ footsteps. He slouched into the kitchen, Adorabat perched on his shoulder. She leaned into the side of his face as she rested against him.

“Ah, good morning!” Mao Mao called to the pair. “ I was just wrapping up breakfast.”

Badgerclops mumbled incoherently, raising a paw in greeting. He took a seat, sighing as he reclined against the creaky wood. Mao Mao spun around and slid a plate towards him - three omelettes, stacked on top of one another along with a fork. Badgerclops started to dig in, cutting off bits of his meal and taking a bite, before grabbing another forkful and sliding it into Adorabat’s mouth. They munched in silence as Mao Mao whistled a tune, cleaning up the stove and counter.

“You’re energetic today,” Badgerclops yawned, “what’s the occasion?”   
  
“Well, I was walking around this morning, and I saw some new decorations. It gave me an idea.”

“Oh yeah? What’s the idea?”

Mao Mao motioned to the decorative eggs in the middle of the table. “Decorative eggs!”

Badgerclops sighed. “Oh, great. More painting.”

Mao Mao walked up to Badgerclops, massaging his shoulders and leaning in close. “Aw, c’mon. It’ll be fun! Flex that creative muscle of yours.

The deputy groaned again. “Why’d that have to be today?”

“C’mon, just one egg. Then we can do whatever you want. Think about the memories we’ll make - think about Adorabat!”

Badgerclops shot him a look. “Do  _ not _ use her as a weapon for this,” he muttered, “but... fine. If she wants to paint an egg, then we’ll do some together.”

“How ‘bout it, Adorabat,” Mao Mao said, rubbing her forehead, “you got a little more painting in ‘ya?”

Adorabat cracked her eyes open, giving a tired smile to the sheriff. “...Yeah…”

“Alright, that settles it! Both of you go clean up, and we can start!”

* * *

The table was set, and paint was laid out along with cups of water for cleaning the brushes. Badgerclops and Adorabat re-emerged, looking a little more alert, and sat down at the table.

“Alright, y’all,” Mao Mao started, “We’ve got one egg for each of us. I want to put these up along the window like everyone else, so make it your best work!”

“Okay!” Adorabat said, holding a brush up. Badgerclops nodded, taking an egg in his hand and turning it over a few times.

“It’s not a real egg.” Mao Mao said, grabbing a brush.

  
“I know,” Badgerclops said, placing it back on the table, “I’m trying to find my  _ muse _ .”

Mao Mao rolled his eyes. “Don’t overthink it. It’s just a decoration”

“It’s  _ art _ , and you know how I feel about art.”

“What, you mean like all those little sketches you have of us?”

Badgerclops nodded.

“Well, good luck with that,” Mao Mao said, “I’m already bursting with inspiration!”

The group got to work, painting their eggs. Adorabat hummed to herself as she went back and forth between several colors, unsure of where to start first. Mao Mao started by painting the whole egg a deep red, then let it dry. Badgerclops kept thinking, scrunching his face as he got lost in his thoughts. 

As the minutes ticked by, Mao Mao started painting small figures in grey and gold - shuriken and katanas, along with little outlines of his head. A little narcissistic? Yes. A little out-of-season? Maybe. Badass? No doubt. Adorabat colored the egg a light grey before messing around with some basic shapes and colors. Black, red, brown, white, and blue were applied with care, and she wouldn’t let either of them take a look.

“C’mon, I just wanna see how it’s coming along,” Mao Mao insisted.

“No! It’s a secret. You’ll just have to wait until I’m done!”

Mao Mao scoffed, pretending to be upset. “Fine.”

Badgerclops began painting his egg blue. He noticed how far behind he was, and used his robo-arm to fan the egg into drying faster.

“Finally had an idea?” Mao Mao asked, looking up from his work.

“Oh yeah, and it’s a good one.”

“Can’t wait to see how it turns out.”

“Thanks, dude. I hope you like it!”

By the end of the hour, Mao Mao finished up adding the last little green dots to his mao heads, completing the ensemble. He spun the egg around, admiring his work. Some pieces were a little smudged, but it looked good from a distance and that was what mattered. Badgerclops was more than happy to show off his work, finishing around the same time. On top of the cyan background he had drawn a pattern of beignets, each one leaving behind a little purple trail.

Mao Mao let out a chuckle. “Predictable.”

“Hey, I think it looks cute!” Badgerclops huffed. “Also, I’m hungry.”

Mao Mao turned to their junior deputy. “Almost done, Adorabat?”

“Just one… more… there!” She announced.

“Alright, let’s see it!” Bagerclops said, leaning in. Mao Mao put his hands on the counter, leaning towards Adorabat as she unfurled her wing from around the egg. Standing out from the light grey background were a trio of blobs. On the left was a black and red blob with little spikes on top, and on the right was a big half-white half-brown blob with a dark grey stripe. In the middle was a blue blob with little yellow dots in the middle. The pattern continued around the egg, looking roughly uniform.

“Wow, Adorabat... “ Mao Mao muttered.

Badgerclops let out a low whistle. “That is…”

Adorabat beamed. “It’s us! I couldn’t think of anything so I just drew us being happy.”

“Perfect. You captured my assets well.” Mao Mao concluded.

“Sooooo cute, dude! You even added my arm!” Badgerclops followed up.

“It’s the best thing I’ve ever seen,” Mao Mao said as he patted the deputy on the back.

Badgerclops wrapped his arms around them both, squeezing them against his chest. “You guys…”

“I think… we all did a great job-” Mao Mao choked.

Badgerclops released his grip. “Hold on, y’all, grab your eggs. Group photo!”

Adorabat and Mao Mao scooped up their eggs, holding them gingerly from the underside. Badgerclops extended his robo-arm out, turning his hand into a camera. They scrunched their faces together, Mao Mao making a peace sign and Adorabat winking. They smiled at the camera as it flashed.


	11. Day 11: Jelly Beans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mao Mao doesn't eat candy.

“Yoo-hoo! Over here, sheriff!”

Mao Mao growled. He already had his hands pressed against his deputies’ sides, trying to steer them away from the source of the beckoning. They had yet to notice the open-air market of several tables, headed by the same stall that was becoming a permanent fixture for the square. A familiar fox called for their attention, and Mao Mao didn’t want to oblige.

“Did you hear something?” Badgerclops asked.

“Can’t hear a thing,” Mao Mao interrupted, “let’s keep walking-”

Badgerclops turned his head. “Oh, dude!”   


  
“No.”   


  
“Look!”   


  
“We’re running late-”   


  
“But they’re selling-”   
  
“Chocolate, jelly candies, confectionaries of all shapes and sizes!” Rufus called, turning his head towards the group. He made sure they could hear him, speaking up over the hum of the small crowd that circled the tables. Various arrays of sweets were laid out, ranging from large boxes to small individual bags. Mao Mao didn’t want to acknowledge the little bazaar or his deputies’ reactions, but he quickly realized he was too late to stop them. He could feel Badgerclops pulling away from him, and as Adorabat started to flap her wings excitedly he let out a defeated sigh.

“I guess we can grab a couple things.” Mao Mao muttered.

The deputies left him in the dust, bee-lining towards the tables and gushing over the colorful stock. Badgerclops turned over various boxes of chocolates, large and small, unable to decide which ones he wanted the most. Adorabat got caught up in the brightly-colored sweets that made up the individual displays, from lollipops the size of her head to jars of candies. Mao Mao glowered at Rufus, locking eyes with him as he approached the impromptu market.

“You know you’re a bad influence, right?”   


  
The fox shrugged. “Live a little, why don’t you? Take a look at our stock; you might find something you like.”

“I really,  _ really _ shouldn’t. I’m just entertaining them,” Mao Mao said, motioning to his deputies. “I don’t eat candy.”

Rufus grabbed a jar of jellybeans off of an adjacent table. Popping it open, he shook the contents towards the sheriff. “Come now, try some of these! They’re blueberry-cobbler-flavored.”

Mao Mao scoffed, taking a jellybean and munching on it. “You think just because it has cobbler in the name I’ll be impressed? I’ve had these before, and they’re nothing like the real thing. These cheap knock-offs don’t impress me one bit.”

“Hmph,” Rufus tutted, putting the jar back on the table. Mao Mao glanced to the side, barely registering a box that stuck out from the rest. He walked over to the table and inspected it - a short package with a neat row of familiar, inviting shapes.

“W-what are… what are these?” Mao Mao asked, trying to mask his interest.

“Oh, those?” Rufus said, walking over to the sheriff, “those are meeps. Nobody buys them, I’m afraid. They dry out so quickly…”

“They look like… ducks.”

Rufus nodded. “It does bear a very similar likeness to that one kids’ show, ‘Lucky Ducky’ or some such thing. Can’t say I’ve ever seen it, but yes…”

“H-how much?”

“For the box?” Rufus scratched his head. “A… a dollar, I suppose. Better to sell them than to have to keep them around.”

“And how many boxes did you bring with you?” Mao Mao asked, taking a step towards the fox.

“Maybe twenty, thirty? I’d have to consult Reggie since he keeps stock-”

Mao Mao grabbed Rufus by his coat, yanking the fox towards him. “I want your entire stock.”

“Rufus’s eyes flashed. “ _ All _ of it, you say? Well, that can be arranged, but for the sudden increase in demand I may have to… adjust the figure.”

Mao Mao shoved a hand into his cape, wrenching out his wallet. He grabbed a fistful of bills and shoved them towards the fox.   


  
“Will this cover it?”

Rufus’s eyes darted between the sheriff and his outstretched hand. Taking the bills and thumbing through them, he tucked the cash into his coat pocket.

“I’ll have Reg prepare all that for you.”

The deputies approached from behind, Badgerclops carrying an armful of mixed candies that the two had picked out.

“Hey Mao, can you cover us for this stuff?” Badgerclops asked.

Rufus held up a paw. “No need, he’s already paid for that and then some.”

Badgerclops looked at Mao Mao. “Really? Thanks, dude!”   


“Don’t worry about it,” Mao Mao said, “I didn’t want you guys going without.”

“But, what did he mean by ‘and then some’?” Adorabat asked.

Mao Mao shrugged. “No idea what you’re talking about.   


“But he-”

Mao Mao leaped over to the group, tearing open a box of candy and shoving it into Adorabat’s face. “Heh, why don’t you go ahead and have some candy now? Y-you earned it!”

Adorabat happily helped herself to the treat, sharing with Badgerclops as they started to walk off. Mao Mao let out a sigh of relief as they turned, and glanced towards Rufus.

“Should I arrange a delivery?”

“Tonight, after sunset. Meet me outside HQ, and be quiet about it.”

  
Rufus nodded. “My lips are sealed. Pleasure doing business with you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I keep inverting these ideas a bit, so apologies if it feels like a fake-out. I had this idea prepared pretty far in advance, though!


	12. Day 12: Bunny Onesies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mao Mao's eager to make this Spring Festival the best one ever.

Mao Mao and Badgerclops reclined on the sofa together, enjoying another quiet spring evening on the couch. The television was off, and Mao Mao performed routine maintenance on his equipment while Badgerclops read through a magazine. Adorabad had just been put to bed, so they tried to keep quiet. The only sounds to pierce the comfortable silence were the squeaking of cleaner against metal and the flip of a laminated page. The sun had set, leaving the sky mostly black save for a fading rim of deep purplish-blue that hugged the horizon line.

A buzzing in his cape caught his attention. Setting his blade down and reaching for his phone, he noticed that the caller ID was Adorabat’s teacher.

“Uh… Mao Mao speaking. Is this an emergency?”   
  


“ _ Good evening, Mr. Mao! Sorry for the late call, but I wanted to make a special request of you and Badgerclops. _ ”

Mao Mao nudged his deputy, motioning to the phone. Badgerclops leaned in close so he could hear. “Oh, yeah?” Mao Mao asked, “What’s up?”

“ _ Well, tomorrow we’re surprising the children with a special Spring Festival party. We’ve got everything set up for the event, but we wanted to put on a little show. I figured since you two are Adorabat’s guardians you might be interested in helping out. _ ”

Mao Mao’s eyes lit up. “Sure, anything! What would you need us to do?”

“ _ Well, I wanted to do a skit for the kids, and I thought you two would be perfect for our lead roles! The script is real short, and the costumes are just the right size! Do you think you’d be interested? _ ”

Badgerclops and Mao Mao exchanged looks. They nodded to one another, smiling. “We’d be more than happy to star in your Spring Festival play. When would you like us to stop by?”

“ _ Oh, wonderful! I’m having a substitute fill in for me while I finish the arrangements, so just circle ‘round the back of the schoolhouse after you drop Adorabat off and I’ll get you two set up!” _

“Sounds like a plan! We’ll see you tomorrow. Have a good night, and be safe.”

“ _ You, too! See you tomorrow! _ ”

Mao Mao ended the call, stuffing the phone back in his cape.

“So, a play, huh?” Badgerclops asked.

Mao Mao shushed the deputy softly. “Not too loud! But yeah, we’re gonna star in a little theatrical performance for Adorabat and her friends. It’s been a while since I’ve acted, but… for Adorabat? I wouldn’t pass it up for the world.”

“Yeah, dude, it sounds cute!”

  
“Well, we’ll see about that. I can only imagine I’ll be playing the role of the hero - why else would he specifically call  _ me _ to be the lead role?”

“Don’t forget this is a kid’s play, dude. It’s not gonna be that intense.”

“No matter,” Mao Mao shrugged, “whatever it is, I’m sure it’s going to be great.”

* * *

  
“This is the worst thing I’ve ever done in my life.”

“It’s really not that bad, man.”   


  
Mao Mao shot Badgerclops a look. “I look like an idiot.”

Badgerclops giggled. “Oh, stop. You look cute!”

The sheriff seethed, reaching out and clenching Badgerclops by the fabric of his costume - a simple blue vest that was a little small for him. The fabric went taut as Mao Mao pulled the deputy down to eye level, brushing the floppy pink ears of his outfit aside.

“Shut. Up.”

“Hey, quit! You’re gonna ruin my outfit!”   


  
“ _ Your _ outfit?!” Mao Mao growled in a harsh whisper, “you’re not the one wearing a bunny costume!”   


  
“B-but you’re the lead role! I thought you were looking forward to this!”

“That was before I got stuffed into this stupid onesie!”   


  
“Just think about how cute you’ll look-”   


  
Badgerclops felt something sharp poke against his chest. Mao Mao had drawn his claws, percing through the paws of his outfit and digging into Badgerclops’ vest.

“If you say  _ cute _ one more time I swear-”

“Hey, my costume! Quit!-”   


  
“I am  _ this _ close to tearing this stupid thing off and going home-”   
  


“Stop being a butt about it!”   


  
“The only ‘butt’ I’m about to be is the butt of this- this joke of a holiday!”

Badgerclops scoffed. “You were all excited about it until today. What’s different about wearing a bunny suit?”

“ _ Oh, what’s that, kids? I think I hear something from behind the bush! _ ”

They peeked through the foliage, hearing their cue. Mao Mao was supposed to emerge from the bush, hopping around and waving to the kids. Badgerclops would emerge soon after, announcing the arrival of the Bunny King. It was short, sweet, and simple. Ideally, it was too easy to mess up.

Mao Mao crossed his arms. “I am  _ not _ going out there.”

“C’mon, you have to! I can’t go out there by myself!”   
  
“Make me.”

Badgerclops huffed. “Oh? Bet.”

A mechanical arm clenched around Mao Mao’s throat, forcing him off the ground and thrusting him through the bush. He scraped and clawed at the metal, eliciting an awful metallic screech and marring the chrome finish. Badgerclops released his grip, dropping Mao Mao to the ground. The sheriff landed on his feet, poised to pounce. His eyes darted around, taking note of the crowd that watched him. He froze, staring wide-eyed at the people as he felt a lump form in his throat.

“ _ C’mon, start hopping around! _ ” Badgerclops called from the bushes.

Mao Mao turned towards the bush, quivering. He forgot what he was supposed to do.

“ _ C’mon! _ ”

“U-uh…” Mao Mao muttered, feeling hot under his suit.   


  
Badgerclops rolled his eyes, turning his robo-arm into a cannon. Lowering the focus to its most precise setting, he aimed at Mao Mao’s feet and fired a millimeters-thick beam. Mao Mao dodged the attack, hopping out of the way and looking towards Badgerclops with a newfound rage.

  
“What the-”

“ _ Keep hopping! _ ”

Before Mao Mao could charge the deputy, a flurry of pin-sized lasers flashed towards his feet. He kept hopping - dodging and twirling around as the blasts landed around him. The sound of scattered applause and laughter surprised him, taking him off-guard. He felt his face grow hot once more, but cooled as he saw the bright-eyed, enraptured stare of Adorabat in the front row. Giving her a smile, he played into his role some more - hopping around and shaking his cotton-tail.

“Gasp! Is that- I dare say,” Badgerclops started, emerging from the bushes with a flourish, “why, it appears to be the Bunny King! Here to grace our fair valley once more with tidings of Springtime joy…  _ or whatever _ …” he muttered as he glanced at his paw. His lines were smudged, but he was sure he could ad-lib it.

“What a… graceful and… legendary figure he is!” Badgerclops continued. “A strong and, uh… generous fellow! The cutest of them all-”

Mao Mao snapped towards him, giving him a death glare.

“B-bravest of them all! We are… truly blessed this day. Thank you, Bunny King!”   
  


Mao Mao finished his routine, doing a front-flip towards the children and giving them a deep, graceful bow. The crowd applauded once more, whistling and cheering.

  
“Now who wants pictures?” Badgerclops called out, changing his arm into a camera.

“Pictures?” Mao Mao asked, having forgotten the itinerary. The children dog-piled him, tackling him to the ground as they clambered for a picture with the “Bunny King”. He forced himself upright, sitting on the ground as the kids drew in close around him. Adorabat flew onto his lap, giving him a quick hug.

“How’d you like the show, Adorabat?”

“You look so cute in that outfit!”

Mao Mao sighed, feeling his pride actively drain from his body. “Y-you think so?”

“Know so!”

“Well… I’m just glad you liked it,” Mao Mao decided, resting his chin on her head and wrapping his arms around her. As Mao Mao closed his eyes, he heard the camera flash.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for following me along on this journey! I was so excited to do these prompts and take part in my first ever event-based creative endeavor. I was nervous leading up to it, but I found motivation through the rest of the participants' wonderful submissions and everyone else's encouraging words to persevere. Special shout-outs to:  
> Renpawbs - You helped me figure out how to make these prompts fun and unique, and offered insightful feedback for several of them.  
> MaoMother - For hosting the event and giving feedback on not just my submission but everyone else's; you make this fandom special!  
> Everyone who commented, kudos'd, liked/retweeted my submissions, it made/makes my day to get feedback!  
> Everyone who read any of these prompts - thank you so much for taking the time to read through this, or any, of these stories. It means a lot that you would spend your valuable time reading these. I can only hope you had as much fun and enjoyment from reading these as I had making them! Happy Easter!


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